How to be a "Parisien" in 10 Days

This is an article about how to become a Parisian (well, you know, as close as it gets for any foreigner) in only 10 Days. To accomplish this difficult task, I worked VERY hard during almost 2 weeks, but I figured not everyone can be in Paris for 2 weeks, so I thought 10 days would be enough; I didn't do this by myself but with the collaboration of mes Parisien ami: Charline, Rémi, Patricia, François, Jeremy + Christophe, who were absolutely awesome; particularly Charline + Christophe as they're your absolute French Cliché...in a good way though.

So, let's get started. I now present to you a list of things to do to hep you get closer to becoming a Parisian:


- Hit a very Parisian Bar--for locals, not for tourists. You have to get out there and practice your French as much as you can.

La Patache Bar

- Order a beer in French...like a local does: "Un demi, s'il-vous-plaît." (which is a quarter of a liter) or "Une pinte, s'il vous plait." (which is almost half a liter) if you're really thirsty...or wanna get drunk faster.

Un Demi

- On the way home, stop by the Boulangerie, and buy a fresh made baguette on a paper bag with half of it sticking out. Putting it under your arm would make you look even more Parisian. ;)

Hold your baguette under the arm...even on the Metro!

- Get a Pass Navigo Decouvert to use the Paris Transport Links like a Parisian: all of them (buses, trains, metro) and as many times as you like. It's quite comfortable as you don't have to buy tickets and plan your trip everytime you go out.

It's only €5

- Run into an old friend on the street--nothing to make you feel at home like bumping into an old friend while walking on the streets of Paris. (The odds of this actually happening are almost as slim as a Londoner being nice to you on the street, but it happens!)

A RDV with an old friend (Jeremy)

- Attend a French Cooking Class to live up to expectations of French being excellent Cooks and Chefs. "L'atelier Des Chefs" is a very good place to do so, they've got nice kitchens and mean-handsome Chefs lol



- Buy something at Pylones; it's a most unusual store if you're looking for new, unique, fun, and very different items. Brightly colored, fun items - everything from toasters and kitchen utensils to hairbrushes to staplers to watches and jewelry, what's not to like?




- Use wine when you cook--on the food, not to drink while you cook. It's sort of like the Olive Oil for Italians.



- Make your own Crêpes--you should know how to make crêpes at home, most French do or else, it'd be like being a Mexican and not know how to make Enchiladas...if you don't know, you're a bad Mexican! ha

Keep in mind the first crêpe, will always be bad! (due to temperature and stuff)

Hmmm! (coz it's an international expression haha)

- Eat ice-cream on Île Saint Louis; Berthillon is the best place for it. This delicious ice cream has rich colors and equally intense flavors--Noisette is very good! If you're into ice-cream (like, apparently, all Mexicans are), you'll like it there!




- Go seat in a Café on a table set outside -like facing the (imaginary) Sea- and see 'Paris' go by. If you order Tea, I'd recommend Marco Polo by Mariage Frères--it's fantastic...and if you're more of a coffee person, you can have a cafe au lait (coffe with milk), or a Noisette, which is a variation of it being an espresso with milk, or you can always have just a classic espresso.

- voyez-vous la mer?

- oui, c'est beau!
- et en buvant du café, ce'st magnifique!

- Go only once or twice to Le Louvre Museum; it's like the Anthropology Museum in Mexico, you only go because either your parents or the school take you, but you don't really feel like going back on your own haha.



- Play Chess with a retired Parisian old man at the Jardin de Luxembourg while just hanging out there enjoying what Italians would call "Dolce far niente" (the pleasure of doing nothing).

Don't forget with every move you make, you must attack!

- Eat a Croissant at the Parisian Café of your preference--they're usually fresh, buttery and yummy everywhere. Café des Deux Moulins is my personal favorite for more than obvious reasons.

It's on Rue Lepic, in Montmartre--one of my fave Arrondissements

The croissant was so good I forgot to take a pic before eating it lol

- Go out with friends for an evening Apéro. L'heure de l'apéro in France is when you go for a drink or a meal before the night actually kicks off and the real party starts--sort of like the Mexican "Precopeo".

Le cafe de l'industrie, Bastille

Even Wodjah enjoys L'heure de l'apéro

- End a night at a hip Parisian Bar in Bastille; there's tons where to choose from!

Le Motel Bar @ Bastille

- Go see a film by yourself during daytime. I usually don't do this, nor going during daytime nor by myself, but for some reason in Paris, it felt alright and I even enjoyed it.

Gaumont Cinemas chain seem to own most of the cinemas in Paris

- Go around Paris in a scooter--you can't get more French than that! Just don't forget to wear a helmet and if you do, be careful with your earrings coz they might fall off and get lost :(

Fun, fun, fun...except when under the rain

- Go to the Opera at Palais Garnier; it's way cheaper than you think it is and it's absolutely brilliant and worth it, you won't regret it one bit! Le Ballet de L'opera is a good choice too, in case you're not able to catch the Opera. Paquita Lacotte was lovely.





- Use a filthy toilet at a bar or restaurant--it's Paris, there's no way you will escape this one anyways haha

Ok, this was actually a neat one, I was too impressed to photograph the real filthy one haha

Alright then, this is the list I managed to put together and I hope it is helpful when you go to Paris, and besides helpful, I hope you have fun while doing all, or even some, of these things as much as I did and end up loving the city as much as I do...though like a friend of mine says: "everyone loves Paris...unless you're dead inside" haha Anyways...merci de votre attention. Salut!